There are authors and then there are Authors, those writers whose names are known the world over whether it be through a single title that became a world best seller or because they are prolific authors whose latest releases we look out for, or in the case of dear departed authors, whose entire bibliography we have sitting on our shelves.
Or at least we thought we’d read everything by them however that might not be the case; take a look through these five books and be surprised because I never knew they had written a Christmas book, did you?
J.R.R Tolkien – Letters from Father Christmas
Written and illustrated by J. R. R. Tolkien between 1920 and 1942 for his children from Father Christmas this collection of letters describes life in the North Pole through the adventures and misadventures of Father Christmas and his helpers, including the North Polar Bear and his two sidekick cubs, Paksu and Valkotukka. The stories include descriptions of the massive fireworks that create the northern lights and how Polar Bear manages to get into trouble on more than one occasion.
Letters from Father Christmas US
Letters from Father Christmas UK
L Frank Baum – The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
In this lovely story all about Santa L. Frank Baum creates a world of fantasy that surrounds Santa Claus’s life. Orphaned at an infant he is found by the nymph Necile, who convinces the great Ak to allow her to raise Claus for her own. Describing his childhood and how as he became an adult when he saw the way his fellow human beings treated children so cruelly he would begin to make toys for them to bring them some happiness and joy.
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus US
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus UK
Truman Capote – A Christmas Memory
A short story Capote’s A Christmas Memory is a semi auto biographical novel that is set in the 1930s and is told from the perspective of the seven-year-old narrator and his cousin and best friend who happens to be an elderly woman. Focusing on the joys of giving at Christmas time whilst also gently touching upon topics of loneliness and loss this is a sadly sweet story that will leave you feeling warm inside and wanting fruit cake made with bootleg whisky.
Agatha Christie – The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
A seasonal Poirot and Marple short story collection this was the first ever collection to be published in the UK that had mysteries involving both of Christie’s best loved detectives. When Poirot receives a sinister warning not to eat any plum pudding you know there is murder afoot. With four further mysteries featuring Poirot and a final short story ‘Greenshaw’s Folly’ starring the wonderful Miss Marple this is a collection that is guaranteed to keep you interested over the Christmas period.
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding US
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding UK
Cornelia Funke – When Santa Fell to the Earth
Gerold Geronimus Goblynch, is the ruthless new leader of the Great Christmas Council and he has plans to turn the holiday season into his personal moneymaking scheme spoiling all of the children’s fun by outlawing all of the old magical ways. Snowmobiles arrive in place of the reindeer, Angels and elves are banned and any Santas found to be flouting the law are turned into chocolate. Fortunately for the children of the world a young Santa by the name of Niklas Goodfellow who is the last and therefor the real Santa has escaped Goblynch’s clutches by going into hiding and with the aid of two children named Ben and Charlotte and Charlotte’s dog, Mutt attempts to overthrow the Christmas hating tyrant.
When Santa Fell to the Earth US
When Santa Fell to the Earth UK
So there we have it, five wonderfully Christmassy tales from authors I never knew had written a Christmas Book and who have now been added to my ever lengthening TBR list.
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